Sunday, May 17, 2015

How do you say "Do you want fries with that" in Arabic?

Guess what was in the papers yesterday? The Ministry of Manpower is going to allow our underproductive and somewhat entitled youth to work part-time jobs, paid by the hour! I cannot wait to be asked if I would like extra ketchup in Arabic!

This decision is AMAZEBALLS and should be applauded by everybody. Good Job M.O.M. It has the potential to be the thin end of the wedge that will eventually drive up competition in the job market as well as increase the quality of the pool of applicants we have to choose from. It has the potential to give all Omani's opportunities for casual or part time work. Bravo!

The limits on the new policy are extremely restrictive, and it only applies to kids between 16-18, but guys.... it's a start, and it's a great idea, which is all the more surprising because it came from a ministry more often known for terrible ideas, poorly executed.

I have been going on and on (and on and on and on) about Omanisation, and the underemployment of youth in the Sultanate since 2006, I think. One of the things that consistantly boggled my mind was that we had no options for our youth to earn pocket money or learn basic practical job skills.

Think about this for a minute: Your average middle class Omani Graduate, with a bachelor's degree from one of our astonishingly shitty private universities is unlikely to have any experience with any of the of the following:

Managing a household budget

Doing his own laundry

living outside of his parent's house.

Ever having had a Job of any description, and has almost certainly never had a really really shitty job pumping gas or working in fast food or being a janitor.

The absolute heartbreak of failure.

Having to admit to a superior that you don't know the answer, but will go find someone who does.

being the lowest man on the totem pole, and working with assholes who hate you.

Working a shitty job, and basically starving. Living off ramen noodles and samosas for 4 years while working through college.

None of the above experiences are particularly fun, but they do build character and life skills such as empathy, time management, effective communication with assholes, and a genuine terror at the thought of ever being that poor again.

Put yourself in the shoes of the people in HR then when these kids rock up with their Bachelor of Business management and expect to be made managers.

I'm like, "friend, come back when you are not so fucking stupid to show up for an interview 2 hours late, with no C.V, a half eaten chips oman sandwich in hand and three of your friends along for support."

It is little wonder that so many expats are quick to write off Omani's as feckless, lazy and dumb when in fact, much of that is simply a symptom of being wildly inexperienced with no life skills and perhaps a bit spoiled. It's not so much the fault of these kids, it's partially the fault of a government that has been too stupid to let them work, and a society that has coddled them for far too long.

I'm very interested to see how this initiative is going to work out in reality, and if the M.O.M will back up businesses when they want to sack an underperforming hourly employee.

More from here tomorrow, but I wanted to get this written down while it was fresh in my mind. Be good, Muscat.

3 comments:

My husband's generation were allowed to work part-time jobs but found themselves always beat out by Indians (who got paid less) so starting a priority for Omanizing part-time work would be awesome, and, like you said, build lifeskills.

Like abro-in law of mine. Awesome at work, but no ability to make a CV. Part-time work would teach kids that, (they get hired, regardless CV being crap, are good at work, get promoted to manager/trainer, and get to look through CVs of others, eventually, and learn, what employers look for in a CV, and lo and behold, they have experience, education, and an ability to make a CV!!!! Better job comes their way.